(27-03-2011 06:10 PM)sosa Wrote: So it wasn't the cops who allowed it. It was the courts, they were there merely for protection, not moral support or anything like that. You make it seem like they were so generous that they acted on their own.

Apologies. I didn't qualify my pronoun. By "they" I meant the courts.

Police can and should only act when it serves to uphold the Constitution and the law (in that order, IMO). The "will of the people" is irrelevant.

Again I'm finding myself having to point out that "will of the people" is a polite way of saying "mob rule". Replace those phrases and see how ridiculous that sounds.

Sorry to be the grouch here, but there's two sides to the story. I'd like to hear the other before passing judgement on the person making the complaint.

Yep similar point as mine only I didn't have the first hand experience. This citizen was passionette however wrong. However like I said this could have been handled far far better. There could have been a face to face visit saying the time and date, and exactly what was going to happen if they did not comply. Hell the mayor could have simply said in a short statement "my descision, comply or it will be removed case closed." The pole should have been left I see no reason to take it. This guy should try living in a housing complex with a neighborhood association! He'd love that. In our city if your grass gets too long the city will cut it for you at $75 your expense, one warning and they show up and cut it. Hell my Mother-in-law in her last house could have had a lein put on her house because her mailbox paint had gotten faded! People sign up for this shit though!

One other point: Although I don't know firsthand, I'd bet money that the police escort was added AFTER the crews had tried to remove the posts without law enforcement present. When the officer in the video was telling the man that he was not allowed to speak to the crew, she was wrong. I'll grant that for sure. BUT, it is telling. My suspicion is that the crews, who were doing their job, encountered a fair bit of verbal abuse.
I don't condone how this appeared to be handled, but I just can't say it shouldn't have been done. I also really can't, without hearing all perspectives, say that the police presence was overkill.